Miami's Best Eats and Drinks This Weekend: Books by Cooks, Beer, and Pubbelly Love

If you're looking for a nice, peaceful weekend to catch up on chores before the family comes down from the Northeast to thaw out and eat turkey, forget it!

There are simply too many tempting options not to get out and enjoy Miami. Plus, there's something for everyone -- like a gigantic book fair featuring some of the best culinary names (we're referring to, Gabrielle Hamilton, who got a shout-out from Anthony Bourdain this week for her book, Prune):

This adorable little general store in Miami Shores has everything you need to spice up your Thanksgiving. Come on down on Friday, November 21, from 6 - 8:30 p.m. and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine while you sample holiday pies from Illegal Bakery. Have you ever tried a rumpkin pie? It's a genius version of a pumpkin pie...with rum! You can also give some poultry rubs from S.A.L.T. sisters a try, pre-order a charcuterie platter, or buy a great hostess gift. Let's face it, if someone else is doing all the cooking, the least you can do is show up with some hand soaps...or a rumpkin pie!

Yes. People still read books (thankfully).

Photo by Laine Doss

Miami Book Fair International

The 31st annual Miami Book Fair International at Miami-Dade College Wolfson Campus, is going strong this weekend. A celebration of reading, the fair is a great place to stock up on books and hob nob with your favorite authors. This year,it's all about books by cooks, with a host of lectures, panel discussions, and culinary demos by your favorite chef/authors. Admission to the fair is $8 for adults and admission includes most author talks. Culinary demonstrations are an additional $15 and tickets can be purchased at miamibookfair.com. Here's a sampling of the amazing authors that will be appearing this weekend:

Saturday, November 22

10 a.m. Jen Karetnick (former New Times critic on Brie Season; Chelsea Rathburn on A Raft of Grief: Poems; and Elisa Albo on Each Day More

11 a.m. Fabio Viviani on Fabio's American Home Kitchen; and Ana Sofia Peláez on The Cuban Table: A Celebration of Food, Flavors, and History

1 p.m. Demo with Michael Love, author of The Salvage Chef Cookbook: More Than 125 Recipes, Tips, and Secrets to Transform What You Have in Your Kitchen into Delicious Dishes for the Ones You Love

2 p.m. Adrian Miller on Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine One Plate at a Time; Libby O'Connell on The American Plate: A Cultural History in 100 Bites; and Mark and Talia Kurlansky on International Night: A Father and Daughter Cook Their Way Around the World

2 p.m. Demo with Fabio Viviani, author of Fabio's American Home Kitchen

The South Florida BrewFest

FIU's Chaplin School of Hospitality hosts its third annual South Florida BrewFest. From noon 4 p.m. you'll be able to sample beer from some of Florida's best brewers including Funky Buddha Brewery, Cigar City, Saltwater Brewery, MIA Brewing, and more. And, because this awesome event is held on campus there are seminars and classes. No, you won't be forced to learn calculus. But you will get brewing tips from both faculty and professional brewers. Tickets are $30 in advance; $40 at the door (with additional discounts for FIU students, faculty, and alumni). To purchase tickets, visit hospitality.fiu.edu.

Ralph Pagano plays host on the Cooking With Love stage.

Courtesy of Ralph Pagano

Love and Wine

There's nothing more romantic than sipping wine on a rooftop overlooking the world. And that's the basis of the Love and Wine event, taking place atop the Collection Building (4000 Ponce de Leon Blvd.) in Coral Gables. On Saturday, November 22, from 8 to 11 p.m., enjoy unlimited wine, spirits, live entertainment, and food from some of Miami's finest restaurants including BLT Prime, Batch Gastropub, Cibo Wine Bar, Love is Blind, and more. Chef Ralph Pagano (Naked Taco) will take the Cooking With Love stage to host a series of cooking demos by Dustin Ward, Richard Hales, Michael Shikany, and Giorgio Rapicavoli.

If purchased in advance, general admission tickets are $100 per person/$160 for a pair of tickets. Tickets are $135 at the door. VIP tickets, which allow entry into the event at 7 p.m., access to the Ocean Drive VIP lounge, and a goody bag, are $160 per person/$280 for a pair in advance. At the door, VIP tickets are $325. To purchase tickets visit rooftopaffair.com.

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Pubbelly Turns Four

Pubbelly is turning four and the porkcentric restaurant is celebrating with a special brunch and a special guest chef. On Sunday, November 23, Pubbelly chef Jose Mendin teams up with chef Bradley Kilgore for a special multiple course brunch that includes steak and egg carpaccio, scrambled egg mousse with rabbit chorizo, duck confit French toast, house-smoked pastrami, and a foie gras-nut. Brunch is $50 per person; $25 additional gets you bottomless cocktails. There are two seatings (noon to 2 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.). To purchase tickets, visit pubbellyboys.com.

Laine Doss is the food and spirits editor for Miami New Times, has been featured on Cooking Channel's Eat Street and Food Network's Great Food Truck Race. She won an Alternative Weekly award for her feature about what it's like to wait tables.